Oracles of Change
The Oracles of Change is a warband of Chaos Space Marines who were originally the Loyalist Chapter known as the Lectors of Ixis but are now dedicated to the service of Tzeentch after having been corrupted during the Abyssal Crusade in the 37th Millennium. The Oracles are led by the Chaos Sorcerer Amadeus Volkstein, who was once a Loyalist Librarian Epistolary known as Vanneus before being corrupted by the promise of knowledge and power offered by the Lord of Change. Some have suspected the Oracles of Change of being a splinter group from the Thousand Sons Traitor Legion, though this is largely seen as rumour. Warband History Abyssal Crusade The Oracles of Change were a formerly Loyalist Chapter known as the Lectors of Ixis. Following the Ecclesiarchal Purges of 321.M37, a dozen star systems were engulfed by Warp Storm Dionys, its echoes rippling along the spiral arms of the galaxy as it raged through the Empyrean. Records of mutation and Chaos Cultist activity quadrupled overnight. Worse yet, it was not only the citizens who were affected by the sudden influx of Chaos. Many of the Space Marine Chapters with homeworlds affected by the Warp Storm found that the secret imperfections in their gene-seed were writ large upon their new recruits, giving rise to a wave of disturbing manifestations both physical and psychological. The Lectors of Ixis were one such Loyalist Chapter of Astartes that had been affected by these Warp Storms. When the Ecclesiarchy heard of this sinister tum of events, Saint Basillius the Elder demanded that all those Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes whose homeworlds had been touched by the Warp Storm be rendered unto his judgement. Such was the elder's influence with the High Lords of Terra that within a standard year this had come to pass. After a series of stringent tests and prognostications, hundreds of Chapters were deemed unaffected by the Warp Storm. No less than thirty were found wanting. The Judged, as these fallen Chapters came to be known, volunteered for a redemptive Penitent Crusade. The most militant of their number demanded the right to purify their tainted flesh in the fires of battle, to make a noble end from tragic misfortune. To the surprise of his closest advisors, Saint Basillius agreed to this proposal. He saw it fitting to send the accused into the Eye of Terror, taking the fight for the Imperium's future to the Daemon Worlds inhabited by the Traitor Marines. A representative from each of the doomed Chapters held an emergency Council of Dismay to discuss the proposed Crusade. After scant solar hours of debate, they acquiesced to Basillius' demands, for they believed that martyrdom was preferable to an existence of suspicion and doubt. The last few days of 321.M37 saw a solemn procession of Strike Cruisers and Battle Barges pass through the Cadian Gate into the Eye of Terror, relay systems dormant and heraldic colours obscured by black mag-plates. One by one, the Chapters of The Judged disappeared into the iridescent dust nebulae that surrounded the Eye. As the massive Space Marine flotilla entered the Eye of Terror, they were set upon by a great Chaos warfleet. The resultant battle was so fierce that the ships of The Judged were forced to retreat and were scattered to the furthest corners of the Eye. The true account of what occurred within the Eye to the Lectors of Ixis Chapter is unknown, but most of the tales of the Chapters of The Judged ended in tragedy and sorrow. By the time they reemerged from the Eye many Terran centuries later, the Lectors of Ixis were no more, for they had become the Chaos Space Marine warband known as the Oracles of Change, wholly dedicated to the service of Tzeentch. Notable Campaigns *'Battle of Valoria Quintus (Unknown Date.M41)' - The Oracles of Change, led by the Chaos Sorcerer Karteitja, assault the Imperial world of Valoria Quintus. Their goal is to transform the planet into a new Daemon World dedicated to Tzeentch. The Oracles prove successful in capturing the Governor's Palace at the heart of the world's capital city and corrupting the city's population to the service of Chaos. However, the arrival of a force of Silver Skulls Space Marines disrupts the Oracles' ritual and causes the plan to fail. As the Silver Skulls reclaim the world in the name of the Emperor, Karteitja was abandoned by his comrades and slain by a Silver Skulls Terminator. Notable Oracles of Change *'Amadeus Volkstein' - The exact circumstances under which Vanneus, once a Space Marine Epistolary, chose or was compelled to embrace Tzeentch remain a mystery. It is likely that in fulfilling his duties as a psyker and projecting his mind through the Immaterium, he fell victim to one of Tzeentch's servants residing there. Whatever the circumstances may have been, it is known that Vanneus denied the Emperor, rejected his former identity, took the name Amadeus Volkstein, and now serves Tzeentch as a powerful Chaos Sorcerer. He currently leads the warband of Chaos Space Marines known as the Oracles of Change. *'Karteitja' - Originally known as Khenti of the Thousand Sons Legion, Karteitja, meaning "name thief" or "taker of names" in Volkstein's language, was a Chaos Sorcerer and a Champion of Chaos who led the Oracles of Change on Valoria Quintus against the hateful servants of the False Emperor. Karteitja was successful in capturing the Governor's Palace and corrupting the capital's citizens for his cause, yet his plan for turning Valoria Quintus into a Daemon World was interrupted by the arrival of the Silver Skulls Space Marine Chapter. Abandoned by the rest of his warband once the ritual failed, Karteitja was slain in combat by a Silver Skulls Terminator Sergeant. *'Cirth Unborn '- A Pyromancer of immense skill, Cirth Unborn served as a Lieutenant to Karteitja while the Oracles of Change were fighting on Valoria Quintus. Cirth Unborn led the Oracles in their final attempt to keep the Silver Skulls from taking the Governor's Palace. Realising that the ritual for turning Valoria Quintus into a Daemon World had failed, Cirth and the Oracles of Change fled the planet through arcane means, leaving their leader to die. *'Garduul' - Garduul, also known as Garduul the First, was once the Chapter's first oracle, until he was struck down by the piercing blades of the Aeldari and put inside the sarcophagus of a Dreadnought. Garduul now serves the warband as an insane Helbrute, whose words of madness often predict the future. Garduul and his warband vanished after they failed to turn Valoria Quintus into a Daemon World. Warband Appearance Warband Colours The Oracles of Change's Power Armour is dark red with golden trim. Warband Badge The Oracles' Chapter Badge is a golden eight-pointed Chaos Star with the Eye of Tzeentch adorning the centre where the lines intersect, upon a dark red background. Their armour is often decorated with various chaotic symbols, horns, and skulls. Canon Conflict The novel Silver Skulls: Portents present the Oracles of Change as a possible splinter warband of the Thousand Sons Traitor Legion, while Codex: Chaos Space Marines (6th Edition) describe the Oracles of Change as Chaos Space Marine warband that was once a Loyalist Space Marine Chapter known as the Lectors of Ixis that had participated in the Abyssal Crusade and became the Oracles of Change while inside the Eye of Terror. Sources *''Black Crusade: The Tome of Fate'' (RPG), pg. 21 *''Codex: Chaos Space Marines'' (6th Edition), pg. 19 *''Codex: Chaos Space Marines'' (4th Edition), pg. 21 *''Silver Skulls: Portents'' (Novel) by Sarah Cawkwell es:Oráculos del Cambio Category:O Category:Chaos Category:Chaos Space Marines Category:Chaos Space Marine Legions Category:Renegade Space Marine Chapters